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(No Model.)

W. e. se MERRILL.

SHIPS LOG.

Patented Sept. 5, v1882.

e/ t ne v m l- 1 l Am. n\ ll W .Ol/'@l.. .nhl r3 i k w u P( t am v @A 4 w m 5 w UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM G. MERRILL AND GEORGE W. MERRILL, OF BROOKLYN, N. Y.

SHIPS LOG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 263,936, dated September 5, 1882.

Application iled April 3, 188'2. (No model.)

To all whom 'it may concern Beit known that we, WILLIAM G. MERRILL' and GEORGE W. MERRILL, ofthe city of Brooklyn and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Ships Logs, of which the following is a specification.

Ships7 logs have been made with a propeller or rotator at the end of a cord or rope and a registering mechanism upon the vessel.

Our present invention relates to the registering mechanism upon the vessel.

In devices of this character heretofore made there is diflculty in lubricating the wheels that receive the spindle to which the rope or chain is attached. If these are not properly lubricated, so as to roll with very little friction, the register will not be accurate, especially in view of the fact that there is considerable strain upon the line that extends to the propeller. Ve make use of wheels that are provided with deep narrow grooves around their peripheries for holding the lubricating material by capillary attraction, so that the surfaces against which the wheels roll are constantly lubricated, and we use a registeringmechanism that is inclosed in two cases, the outer one ot' which can be turned to expose the dials, and special provision is made for oiling the arbors ofthe register.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of the registering mechanism, the cases being in section. Fig. 2 represents the dials. Fig. 3 is a section at a: and Fig. 4. a section at y y.

The frames a a are connected at one end to the circular head-piece b and at the other end to the base-plate c. Between these frames are gear-wheels d, pinions c, and arbors i, forming a train that reduces the speed and composes the registering devices. This train may be proportioned in any desired manner, so as to be adapted to register in miles, knots, or other distances, the hands h being upon the respective arbors c' and the dials k being upon one of the frames a. Each hand should be held by friction upon the arbor, so that it may be moved around to zero to set the instrument as often as desired.

'lhe spindle m passes centrally through the base-plate c, and it is provided with a bearingdisk, n, resting against the edges of the three wheels p, that are interposed between the disk n and base-plate c and receive the endwise strain upon the spindle m. These wheelsp are upon axles in the frame q, that surrounds the spindle m loosely, and into the edges of the said wheels there are deep grooves that are quite narrow, so that these grooves will retain oil by capillary attraction, and lubricate the surfaces of the base-plate c and bearing-disk a and prevent unnecessary friction. The wheels may each be made of two plates fastened together at the center and kept apart a slight distance by their washers, so as to increase the depth of the oil-holding grooves. rlhe spindle m is provided with a worm-pinion, s, that acts upon the iirst pinion t in the train of registering-wheels.

The case u is fastened by screws or other suitable means to the head b and base-plate c. It has an opening at the dials through which they are visible. It also has oiling-holes in line with the respective arbors, and an opening at which an oilcan nozzle can be inserted for supplying oil to the wheels and screw-pinion.

The outer case, o, is cylindrical, and it is held to place between the head-plate b and rim ofthe case u, so that it cannot slip off; but it may be revolved around the case u to bring the openings in such case o to correspond with the opening in the case u at the hands and dials, so that these maybe inspected when necessary, but protected at other times by partially revolving the said case u. In this case o there are oiling-holes that correspond to the oiling-holes in the case u, so that the parts can be lubricated without taking oft either case. These holes are so placed that they correspond with each other when the dials are partially covered by the outer case, n, so that the oilholes may not be open in either of the ordinary positions in which the instrument is used.

The attaching-eye fw is provided in the cen ter of the head-plate b. By this the log is con nected with the vessel in any suitable manner.

We claim as our invention- 1. rlhe combination, with the rotating spindle in a ships log, of the wheelsp, having narrow deep grooves in their edges for holding oil by capillary action, substantially as and for holes will not be open in either of the ordinary 1o the purposes set forth. positions of use, 'substantially as set forth.

2. In a. ships log, the combination, with the Signed by us this 28th day of March, A. D. dials and train of gearing, of a stationary case, 1882.

n, with oil-holes in line, or nearly so, with the WM. G. MERRILL. mbors, and a moving case, n, with opening for G. W. MERRILL. thedials and with oil-holes corresponding with Witnesses:

the oil-holes in the stationary oase when the HAROLD SERRELL,

dials are partially covered, so that the oiling- WILLIAM G. Mo'rT. 

